Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sidi Bel Abbes Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sidi Bel Abbes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $615 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $975 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,335 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 41% more than Sidi Bel Abbes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sidi Bel Abbes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Sidi Bel Abbes 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.17 DZD 420

-37.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$21.55 DZD 2,857

-12.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.93 DZD 522

97.20%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.37 DZD 49.37

418.92%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.61 DZD 81.2

29.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.29 DZD 38.56

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.98 DZD 263

11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.40 DZD 318

52.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.04 DZD 138

58.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.07 DZD 9.21

2228.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.56 DZD 207

-23.72%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.78 DZD 236

12.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$9.05 DZD 1,199

76.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.42 DZD 719

-44.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$16.29 DZD 2,159

-33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.23 DZD 428

-14.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.97 DZD 394

-60.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.78 DZD 235

-7.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.78 DZD 104

94.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.54 DZD 71.8

155.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.50 DZD 66.7

138.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.61 DZD 81.1

14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.35 DZD 46.30

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.77 DZD 367

65.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$9.74 DZD 1,291

70.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.30 DZD 172

40.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.18 DZD 289

46.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.20 DZD 26.16

340.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$17.75 DZD 2,352

5.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.69 DZD 91.3

97.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.36 DZD 48.24

272.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.33 DZD 707

47.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.37 DZD 48.46

232.43%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.1K DZD 4.3M

-32.63%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$33.2K DZD 4.4M

-32.09%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$70.5 ฿2,298

$40.84 DZD 5,413

72.72%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.68 ฿445

$9.44 DZD 1,251

44.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$16.81 DZD 2,228

3.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$18.09 DZD 2,397

128.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.47 DZD 725

5.48%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$307 ฿10.0K

$93.2 DZD 12.3K

229.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,527 DZD 467.4K

314.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$36.53 DZD 4,842

52.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$45.99 DZD 6,096

-43.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$75.3 DZD 9,978

13.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$76.3 DZD 10.1K

-5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$193 DZD 25.6K

122.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$116 DZD 15.4K

105.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$271 DZD 35.9K

201.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$186 DZD 24.6K

175.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,265 DZD 167.6K

56.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,137 DZD 150.7K

30.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$351 DZD 46.5K

76.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

-7.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sidi Bel Abbes: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $193 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 76% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $22.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $212 in Sidi Bel Abbes – so Sidi Bel Abbes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Sidi Bel Abbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 41% more than Sidi Bel Abbes, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $922 in Sidi Bel Abbes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidi Bel Abbes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $93.2 in Sidi Bel Abbes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $615 in Sidi Bel Abbes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sidi Bel Abbes costs $615 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sidi Bel Abbes. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.